We have been having some interesting discussions in the forums about what to eat while you’re breastfeeding, largely stemming from misguided advice and perpetuated myths. There seems to be a general consensus among the grandma generation that what goes into your body comes out in your breast milk. Therefore, if you’re not eating healthy foods, or you indulge in something taboo, your baby is going to suffer when you breastfeed. So let’s be up front–breast milk is not made by what you eat. I thought I’d take some time to clear up a few myths.
I Don’t Eat Healthy Enough to Breastfeed
Not true. There seems to be this idea that breast milk is somehow made by “converting” the food you eat. So if you eat nothing but cheeseburgers, your milk would somehow be nutritionally deficient.
Breastmilk is made by you and if you eat junk food, you will suffer, but your baby won’t. Whether you eat chocolate bars all day, or nutritious foods, your breast milk will be the same in content. It changes according to your baby’s needs, but not according to what you eat.
Don’t Breastfeed If You’re Sick
The exact opposite is true. . .if you’re sick you should breastfeed to protect the baby from getting sick. When you are sick with a cold, let’s say, your body begins making antibodies to fight the cold. Those antibodies are in your breast milk and so you are actually passing on exactly what the baby needs to fight off that specific cold virus. If you breastfeed and are careful to wash your hands before handling the baby–you are doing well to protect baby from getting sick.
On a similar note, bacteria does not spread through breast milk. Some viruses, like hepatitis or HIV do, but others, like the common cold do not.
Look soon for myths debunked about what you can and cannot eat while breastfeeding.
Have a breastfeeding problem or question? Ask me! For other articles on breastfeeding see,
Unwanted Breastfeeding Advice: My Spare Breast
Are There Toxins in Breastmilk?
Why Banning Formula Isn’t That Awful